Soccer Blog

Ryan Hollingshead, meet Dallas. Dallas, meet Ryan Hollingshead

By now everyone’s heard the tale of Ryan Hollingshead, the former UCLA midfielder who FC Dallas took in the second round of the 2013 MLS Super Draft, especially how he put starting his professional soccer career on hold to help his brother build a church in his native California. But now that the church is built in the California capitol city of Sacramento, Hollingshead is now shifting his focus back to the pitch and earlier this week, he and FCD agreed to terms on a contract. So, what can FCD supporters expect from this ex-Bruin? We’ll of course have to wait and see on that one until the season actually starts but here’s a little bit better idea about what he’s all about:

Did the fact FC Dallas currently is without a head coach figure at all into your decision about signing with the club?

Hollingshead: It’s been a process, trying to sign with Dallas. Starting from a year ago when I first got drafted, I got to meet the owners, the Hunts, and got to meet Schellas for a little bit and spent some time with Fernando. So I got to meet the whole staff, so my decision wasn’t entirely based on just the head coach or anything like that. Obviously, I think highly of Schellas and think that he was a good coach and there was a reason he accomplished so much with his time in Dallas and his time coaching. So yeah, I’m definitely bummed that he’s not going to be there. My first connection with going down to Dallas was getting to know him a little bit more. I’m bummed about that, but I also trust Dallas, trust who they have and know they’ll make a good selection with who they’ll bring in as head coach. So, not too worried about it and I spent a lot of time talking with Fernando as well. So he was probably my main point of contact throughout the season. Throughout my time in Sacramento, we were able to talk a lot. So he’s still there and that gives me a little bit more familiarity with the club and everything. So yeah, I’m excited to see who they get. I trust their decision and trust they’ll bring in somebody good who’s going to make FC Dallas go far. I’m excited for that but it’s still a bummer.

When are you planning on arriving in the Dallas area before preseason and how have you been staying in shape?

Hollingshead: I’m just training with a couple teams up here and trying to get as many sessions in as I can-learning a lot, getting fit. I’m a midfielder, so a lot of my game kind of just rides on fitness. So I’m spending a lot of time doing that, getting ready for preseason. But I’m thinking as of now, I’ve been talking to Luiz (Muzzi) a little bit. I’m thinking that I’ll slide into Dallas probably a couple of days before preseason starts because I won’t have too much to do there until preseason starts so there’s no point in coming too early besides maybe looking for a place. But the league puts me up in a hotel for a little bit and my wife as well, so I’m going to wait until we can both get down there, my wife and I and spend some time looking at apartments in different places around the Frisco area. So that’s kind of our deal for now, we’re just going to get in the hotel, hang out for a day or two before preseason and then start preseason because I’m pretty sure we leave quickly after preseason starts to go travel somewhere for 10 days. So there really was a point in time to get all our stuff moved in quickly because it looks like we’ll have time after we get back from that trip to find an apartment and get our stuff moved in then, so that’s kind of our idea.

Since you haven’t played a competitive game in over a year, what would you say to those who might say you could be a bit rusty after such a long layoff?

Hollingshead: That’s a good question. I would say well, we’ll see how the season goes. I’m a competitive guy, a really competitive guy, so I’m ready to prove that I deserve to be on this team and deserve to be playing. A lot of that is just going to take time and it’s going to take time that I deserve to be out on the field, to prove that I haven’t lost my touch or any of my skills in the last year. But yeah, it’s not worth saying too much because my play on the field will prove it, and if I’m ready to go, it’ll show on the field. So that’s all I’d say, just wait until the season. See if I’m on the field and see if I’m playing because I expect to be and I expect to be contributing a lot, so that’s what I would say.

When your name comes up, you’re categorized as a left-sided midfielder. Is that where you feel most comfortable or are there other spots in the midfield where you feel equally at ease?

Hollingshead: Yeah, so at UCLA I played literally every single position except for goalkeeper. I started a game at every position from left forward, right forward, left mid, right mid, center mid, attacking mid, defensive mid, outside back, outside right back, outside left back. The only position I didn’t start in was center back and I played center back for one game. Our center back got hurt, so they put me back there to cover for the last half of a game. So I’m used to kind of being moved wherever I need to be and adapting when I get there. So I’m not exactly sure where Dallas is going to look to use me or where they’re going to fit me in, but I’m ready to work wherever. I just want to be on the field. I want to be playing so wherever they find a spot for me to fit, but definitely my most comfortable and the place I started most often is somewhere in the midfield. So I feel comfortable as a defensive center mid. I feel comfortable as an outside mid. Those are kind of my spots that I really enjoy. As an outside mid, you have a lot of time and space on the outside of the field and it allows you to run at guys and take guys on, which is what I love to do, which is where my expertise is. But I’m versatile so we’ll see where they put me.

What do you think is going to be the biggest adjustment for you to MLS? Will it be the speed of the game, more physical play or a bit of everything?

Hollingshead: Probably a little bit of everything, the toughest part is you really can’t prepare for the MLS until you’re in MLS. The closest I can get to MLS is college, but college can’t really prepare you for it because it’s just a different game. I did everything I could to get prepared, but really you can’t prepare yourself until you actually get there which is what I’ve been saying now in getting fit and getting ready for preseason. I can get fit and I can make sure I pass every fitness test and all that, but really until I get there and I start training with the team and start knocking the ball around with the team, you don’t get that practice or that experience until really you start doing it. I think that because of the way I’ve kind of been raised playing soccer and literally just playing whatever position needs to be filled, I’ve been in a certain position and I’ve stepped in and played that position, I’m hoping that contrasts very well with going from college to MLS and that I’ll be able to pick it up fast because I’ve kind of been taught that way. I just need to pick up. Wherever I get put, I need to do it to make it work. I’m hoping that transfers well from college to MLS but really I just need the experience.

Is there any player currently on the FC Dallas roster you’re especially looking forward to being on the same field with?

Hollingshead: To be honest, I don’t know any of those guys personally. I just know them from seeing highlights and watching games and seeing stats from them. But I don’t them at all personally so I don’t know who I would enjoy playing (with). Walker Zimmerman’s really the only guy that I know from that team. We’ve gotten to talk a little bit and I was able to spend some time with him down when I visited. So for the most part, it’s going to be getting to know different styles of play and different attitudes and personalities and all that stuff because I just don’t know much of what the team has to offer in that sense. But yeah, I’m excited for it. I know we’re going to get along well. I guessing a guy like Blas up top would be good because he’s big and can hold the ball up and is just really skillful. So those types of things I really enjoy but I just don’t know him well enough to know his skill or know a bunch of the guys’ skill enough until I really get there.

You were only in Frisco for a short time in March, but during that time did you get a good feel for how close this roster is as a group?

Hollingshead: Yeah and that was one of the things I was really excited about when I first came to visit in March, was just the camaraderie of the team. Everybody seemed to get together in the locker room. Life seemed to be very good. The coaches stressed that as being one of the perks of Dallas, just that the team gets together and just really enjoys each other, which can be just kind of hit-and-miss with a soccer team like that. So yeah, I’m definitely excited for that. I think they do really care about each other and are a group of guys that really looks after each other and it’s not just about themselves. So yeah, I’m looking forward to that. It was definitely something that caught my eye when I first visited and something I was excited about, so I’m excited to kind of join in with that now.

What do you and your wife think about moving halfway across the country from California to Texas?

Hollingshead: Yeah, we’re excited for it. We’ve never been anywhere past California. My wife’s actually from Seattle so she has dealt with different climates more than I have. But we’re excited for Dallas. Everything I know from Dallas is one, I hear good things about it. Everybody talks very highly of Dallas. And two, every single person I’ve met from Dallas or have met from Texas has a ton of Texas pride, so there’s definitely something about Texas. People love it there. So we’re excited to jump in and excited to get to know the culture a little bit more. We think we’ll fit in well. Yeah, it’s just a different state but it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be different but we like change. We’re excited for it, so it’s not going to be scary or anything like that.

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This blog is a partnership with SportsDay and 3rd Degree, a local soccer blog that has been covering soccer for the D-FW area since 1997. Coverage provided by Steve Hunt, Peter Welpton and Buzz Carrick

Every weekend the show covers the sport of soccer with a Dallas area P1's perspective. From the global game to youth fields that litter the DFW area, Andy & Peter simply talk about soccer and all that implies. You can follow the show on Twitter at @TheKickAround, or send them an email at kickaroundradio@gmail.com